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‘Ashq means intense love of and fondness for perfection, beauty, or physical charm. Sufis usually call this sort of love, for example, love for the opposite sex, figurative or metaphorical love. Real love, the love of the King of eternity, is felt for His Grace and Beauty manife

“You are a forlorn one in this world Ergo laugh not but cry o heart!” (Yunus Emre) Forlorn ones are only a few; a few heroes of the heart, and unknown holy ones. A forlorn person is one who sighs and groans, whose heart burns and aches. A person who is forlorn is beaten an

Zeal means turning to the Beloved with all inner and outer feelings, and locking out all appetites other than those one feels to meet with Him. In the context of yearning, it means one is overflowing with desires and wishes related to Him. Both zeal and yearning feed the spirit. Both

All over the vast Islamic world, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, various services that are fundamentally important to society have been financed and maintained through charitable trusts. Godliness and virtue is not that you turn your faces towards east or west; but godliness and vir

On holy days, we reflect on the joyous past and the beautiful future yet to come. When the sun rises over our land, only then will it be our holy day… Alvarli Efe Holy days are days of joy and pleasure, especially for those who perceive their true meaning. On holy days, people s

Question: The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, was an epitome of generosity, full of grace for others. Could you further expound on the contributions of his generosity and benevolence to the overall mission he represented? Grace is a very significant feature of the Prophet’s

Question: What would you say about financial forms of worship? Are there any conditions and guidelines for well-off believers regarding donations and charity? Worship is essentially categorized into two sections: worship through financial/material means and physical/bodily worship. Th

Jadhba and Injidhab (Attraction and the Feeling of Being Attracted toward God) In the language of Sufism, jadhba (attraction) means that a servant is attracted toward God by God Himself, purified thereby of human imperfection in spiritual elevation, and equipped with Divine qualities

The Power in Prayer and Supplication When the clean black shroud of night enfolds our entire existence, certain darkened souls feel lonely and detached from everything. Yet in the darkest moments, in the remotest corners, and even in the quietest deserts, “He” is always wi

Dahsha and Hayra (Utter Astonishment and Amazement) Every traveler journeying in the valleys of love and zeal sometimes burns with the fire of love, and sometimes overflows with joy owing to the “wine of immortality” offered by the Beloved. While burning, the lover sighs: